Board Feet vs. Linear Feet: What Is the Difference?
Linear feet measure distance. Board feet measure volume. That distinction matters because two boards can have the same length but very different amounts of wood.
Linear feet
If you have ten boards that are each 8 feet long, you have 80 linear feet of board length. Linear feet can be useful when comparing trim, molding or material sold by the running foot.
Board feet
Board feet account for length, width and thickness. An 8-foot-long 2×4 and an 8-foot-long 2×10 both have eight linear feet, but the 2×10 contains much more wood.
Quick comparison
A 1-inch × 6-inch × 8-foot board contains 4 board feet. A 2-inch × 6-inch × 8-foot board contains 8 board feet. Same length, twice the volume.
Which one should you use?
Use linear feet when the width and thickness are already fixed and the seller prices the product that way. Use board feet when lumber is priced by volume or when you want a consistent way to compare pieces with different dimensions.
Practical tip
When a supplier gives you dimensions in nominal sizes, verify whether the quote is based on rough or surfaced dimensions. Your usable size can be smaller than the nominal label suggests. The rough vs. actual lumber guide explains why.